Head to Fin Whale Beach House!
Explore Kommetjie, Cape Town and the fabulous Cape Peninsula
Winter’s here with a bang, making a crackling log fire the perfect complement to chilly evenings and fine wine!
When you’re staying at Fin Whale Beach Cottage there are always going to be days when the Western Cape’s often fickle weather makes staying indoors a better option than braving the elements. But it’s no stress to stay home when home is just fabulous!
With its four en-suite bedrooms, marvelous lounge and dining areas and stylish kitchen, Fin Whale really is beachfront living at its finest and offers the perfect base for groups of friends or family to explore this charming piece of South Africa’s Western Cape.
The decor is understated and the ample space makes rainy days perfect for entertaining in style or kicking back, relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere of this lovely little beachside home-from-home.
Fin Whale Beach House is not exactly lacking in the impressive landscape department. With views over the ocean, Hout Bay and the towering Chapman’s Peak, it’s literally on the most idyllic beach in the area. And if you’re not stepping out of beach house heaven onto the sand, you’ll be enjoying Fin Whale’s beautiful facilities and luxurious accommodation as you make yourselves at home in this small slice of South African paradise.
The ocean off Kommetjie Beach is a thriving marine environment. From southern right whales, Cape fur seals, African penguins and even the occasional orcaguests will not be spoiled for choice when it comes to a marine safari. There are regular boat cruises in the area offering you the chance to see some of the amazing birds and animals that make the sea their home.
And if you’re brave enough to face the ocean’s apex predator, you can take the plunge and go shark cage diving, where you will learn about the incredible great white shark and the role it plays in the ocean’s fragile marine eco-systems. These incredible fish are magnificent to behold in their natural environment and a far cry from the menacing killers portrayed in the movie “Jaws”.
Back on dry land, the region is home to some of the most amazing endemic plants you can find in the world. This spectacular environment that surrounds Fin Whale Beach House and ranges across the peninsula is known locally as “Fynbos” – literally meaning fine bush. Made up of rare and endemic species, Fynbos contributes to the Cape Floral Kingdom – the smallest and most biodiverse of the world’s six floral kingdoms found entirely within South Africa and boasting more than 9000 species!
The entire Cape Peninsula is on your doorstep, from Chapman’s Peak and Cape Point to Camps Bay and Clifton. This is one of the most scenic drives in South Africa and takes you to Cape Town in style, with breathtaking, jaw-dropping and picture-perfect vistas along the way.
In Cape Town itself you have the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, with its range of shops and restaurants. It’s here that you can take a boat trip to the world-famous Robben Island and experience the dark history of South Africa’s more recent past, where Nelson Mandela and other leaders of the ANC were imprisoned for so many years.
And there’s probably the most famous mountain peak in the world – Table Mountain. Towering over South Africa’s Mother City, it’s become a global icon for its unique flat top and sensational views over the city and its surrounds. One of the best ways to experience it is to take the cable car to the top and spend some time exploring its unique eco-system, taking lots of pictures as you go. Alternatively you can climb it, if you’re feeling energetic!
While in Cape Town, check out the magical suburb of Bo Kaap, where the houses have been painted in bright colours. It’s one of the most distinctive neighbourhoods and its history reaches back to the 1760s when it was known as the Malay Quarter and featured rental houses that were leased to Malay slaves, known as the Cape Malays. In those days the houses had to be kept white, but when the rule was lifted and the Malays got their freedom, and the chance to buy their homes, they painted them in bright colours as an expression of their liberation.
For some added flavour to all this colour, a short drive along the coast from Cape Town takes you to the fabulous Cape Winelands tourism route, where you can visit some of South Africa’s leading wine farms and sample some the finest vintages in the world. The town of Stellenbosch is the de facto capital of the Winelands and the perfect place to spend time exploring and learning all about the fine art of turning grapes into wine, as well as some of South Africa’s fascinating history.
